The energy of 'Chaos' coursing through my veins was unfamiliar, yet it didn't feel uncomfortable. In fact, it felt strangely right, as if my body had been waiting for this exact catalyst to awaken its true potential. During my days in the VR game, I had encountered the [[Absolute Beings]] in the highest floors and knew of 'Chaos' as their primary essence, but I had never possessed it myself. Now, it was mine.
I knew I had to be careful moving forward. Possessing such a volatile and rare energy would make me a prime target for the {Constellations} who were always looking for new toys to exploit. Their sudden surge of curiosity wasn't surprising; after all, 'Chaos' was the only energy in existence capable of effectively countering and neutralizing every other type of power.
I had already fulfilled the 'Copy Condition', but I wasn't finished yet. There was one final thing I wanted to do to ensure the Litch tasted absolute despair before his end.
"[Activating The Exclusive Skill, 'Domain of the Undead: Undead Restraint' Lvl 1!]"
Using the very Exclusive Skill I had just copied from him, I manifested a dark, oppressive territory. Thousands of arms made from pure resentment and whitened bone burst from the ground, wrapping around the Litch and pinning him in place.
Even though the Sub-skills of my new acquisitions were only at base level, it didn't matter. Most Skills I possessed was now fueled by the energy of 'Chaos'. At this stage, Skill levels were becoming irrelevant when my essence could simply counter the laws of the other energies.
"{!!?? This—This cannot be!!!}"
The Litch's scream was a mixture of static and agony. His shock was reasonable. He had spent over three hundred years toiling in the dark, honing his 'Demonic Energy' to attain these powers. Yet here I was, using his life's work against him in the very same battle where we met.
"[Activating The Exclusive Skill, 'Crimson Constellation Sovereign: Dance of the Chaotic Divine' Lvl 1!]"
I drew my 'Fig Spirit Sword' one last time. In a single, fluid motion that defied the perception of the third eye, I slashed through the air. The Litch didn't even have time to react before his body was split perfectly in half. He dissolved into a cloud of black ash that was instantly consumed by the void. My A-Rank 'Fig Spirit Sword' shattered into a thousand bits immediately after; it simply wasn't built to handle the raw output of 'Chaos'.
"[Congratulations! You have defeated the 'Guardian of the 12th Gate of Hell'!]"
"[Notice: You have earned an enormous amount of EXP!]"
"[Notice: You have obtained the ???-Rank Item, 'Litch's Robe'!]"
"[Notice: The Rank of the Item 'Litch's Robe' has been adjusted to an S-Rank!]"
"[Info: Increases all Magical Skills by 30% and 'Stealth' by 50%]"
"[You have Leveled Up!]"
"[You have Leveled Up!]"
"[You have Leveled Up!]"
"[You have Leveled Up!]"
"[Notice: Your achievements have been recorded in the Tower's 'Hall of Fame' permanently!]"
"[Notice: +15,000 Coins have been awarded!]"
I stood amidst the silence of the ruins, catching my breath. Leveling up four times in a single encounter was an incredible haul, especially when paired with the coins and a high-tier S-Rank Item.
"[Notice: You have completed the first part of the Hidden Chained-Quest, 'Singularity of Chaos'. The second part of the Chained-Quest have been updated!]"
"[Updated Quest: Irregularity in the Reaper Guild]"
The details for the second part of the quest were blank, which usually meant the objective remained the same: keep digging into the rot. The fight had taken maybe two hours at most, and I knew the RMB and the media would be swarming the area the moment they realized the 'Demonic Energy' had vanished.
Instead of waiting for an interrogation, I stepped into Cero's subspace. From within that hidden dimension, I used my 'Barrier' Skills to connect a doorway directly back to my room, vanishing before the first official vehicle arrived.
By the time I was sitting comfortably in my own space, the breaking news was already saturated with my name. Headlines screamed that I, Arthur Tempest, the country's 9th S-Rank, had completely annihilated a regional branch of the 'Reaper' Guild. The Guild had wasted no time in declaring it an official act of war.
Legally, S-Ranks are granted a wide berth of freedom. We are allowed to use our Skills outside the towers if it involves neutralizing rogue Rankers or monsters. My battle with the 'Undead Litch' fell squarely into that category, and there were plenty of witnesses to prove the monster was the aggressor.
However, there was a slight problem. The RMB and the general public were still blissfully unaware of the demon infestation. To them, I hadn't saved the city from a gate guardian; I had attacked a legitimate guild office and caused a catastrophe. Within hours, I was officially tagged as a "Rogue Ranker" by the RMB. I was now classified as a dangerous criminal to be detained on sight.